PV Bible Alive: Recent Episodes
Bruce Hays
This podcast will take you on a journey through the Bible. It takes the Scriptures, beginning in Genesis, explains what they meant when they were written, and what they mean to you today. In the end, we hope you discover what the Bible says about itself; that it is "sharper than a two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit....and is a discern-er of the thoughts and intents of the heart."
The command to love does not stop with parents, children, friends, or brothers and sisters in Christ. It extends to our enemies.
This is the last set of things that we are to pray for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
In this message we look further into what it means to love our brothers and sisters in Christ; we are to pray for each other, admonish each other, and restore each other.
Loving brothers and sisters in Christ means bearing with their weaknesses, forgiving them when they repent, and speaking with grace.
Loving brothers and sisters in Christ means bearing with their weaknesses, forgiving them when they repent, and speaking with grace.
The next message in our series on love concerns loving your spouse. Scripture has some explicit directions about this most intimate of relationships.
This is the first part of the message about loving your brothers and sisters in Christ.
The Bible commands that we love our neighbors, those next to us. And your children are in that group of people that we are to love. But what is the Biblical definition of loving your children?
After loving God, loving your parents is of second most importance because they are your first neighbors and Scripture says we are to "love our neighbors as ourselves."
The first commandment for every believer is to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength.
This is the last of 3 sermons over the life of Samson. He is an example of bondage to sin.
This second sermon about Samson further demonstrates him to be a perfect illustration of spiritual bondage.
Today, we look at the life of Samson, as an example of bondage to sin. He came into the world with such great potential, but because he followed his flesh throughout his life, his end is tragic.
Which Bible Translation is best? Why do some insist that the King James is the only inspired English Version of the Bible?
Which Bible Translation is best? Why do some insist that the King James is the only inspired English Version of the Bible?
Which Bible Translation is best? Why do some insist that the King James is the only inspired English Version of the Bible?
Which Bible Translation is best? Why do some insist that the King James is the only inspired English Version of the Bible?
This is the story of Abimelech in the book of Judges. God did not choose him to be a judge, he elected himself to be king.
This is the 5th message from the book of Judges. It concerns fear leading to failure and the life of Gideon.
This is episode one in the Passion week series; Jesus' last week. The story starts in the home of Martha, Mary, and Lazarus.
In this fourth sermon in judges we look at a fourth reason for spiritual failure: fear.
This is the third message out of Judges around the theme "Lessons from failure." This lesson covers the judgeship of Deborah.
This is the second message from the book of Judges around the title; "Lessons from Failure." This one teaches us that we often fall into sin because we slide back into what is familiar to us.
In this final message from the book of Joshua we discover that success means finishing well. And finishing well concerns three things; stewardship, commitment, and legacy.
In this message, Joshua and Caleb are old. But God still has a job for each of them to do.
Joshua was tested in his faith in God. Did he believe that God knows everything and so should be consulted on everything? Did he believe God can do everything, so asks God for the impossible?
This is the last of the four songs of Christmas. "Nunc Dimitis." Simeon, after seeing the baby Jesus, said to God, "Now you are letting your servant depart in peace." Is it possible for a person to depart this life in peace?
This is the second message in the series about the songs of Christmas. This one is about Mary's Magnificat.
America was founded by people of the Christian faith who were seeking a place where they could worship God according to their conscience, guided by Scripture.
This message continues our study of the book of Joshua and tests during times of success. It covers the stories of Rahab, Achan, and Ai.
We are leaving the "Lessons from the Wilderness" today to enter a series of messages about entering the Promised land called; "Tests of Success."
In this third message of the series we learn three more lessons from the wilderness about obedience.
This is the second message about lessons that the children of Israel learned in the wilderness of zin.
This is the last message in the series over the Mosaic law, and the last of the moral laws under the category of "love laws." Today we study the greatest commandment of the law; love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.
In this weeks message we continue exploring the Old Testament moral laws concerning theft and fairness.
In this second message over the moral law, we are looking at the honor laws and truth laws of the Old Testament.
In this sermon we look at the moral law as part of the Mosaic law. The moral law is permanent in human history.
In this message we look at the final two categories of Old Testament purity laws and how they are fulfilled in Christ.
In this message we look at the purity laws regarding skin diseases and bodily discharges and see how even they are fulfilled in purpose in Christ.
We continue with our study of the purpose behind the Mosaic law, this time looking at the purity laws regarding diet, and touching dead bodies.
This message is the second half of a message about the seven feast days of the Old Testament, and how they are fulfilled in Christ.
The law that God gave Moses was comprised of three types of law; Civil, ceremonial, and moral laws. And all of them were completed and fulfilled in Christ. In this message we are looking at the Sabbath laws.
When we look at the ceremonial law of the Old Testament; sacrifices, tabernacle, and priesthood are fulfilled in Christ.
In this message we consider the sacrifices in the ceremonial law of Israel and how they are fulfilled in Christ.
In this third message about the Mosaic law we continue to ask the question, "How much of the Old Testament law is the Christian supposed to follow?" We've divided the Old Testament law into three categories; civil, ceremonial, and moral. And this is our final sermon looking at the civil law.
We are continuing to search for the answer to the question, "What part of the Old Testament does the Christian have to follow?" We've divided Old Testament Law into Civil, Ceremonial, and Moral laws. This is our second message about the Civil law. And what we discover about the Old Testament Civil law is that there is a principle behind the law that still applies to us. But the application of the principle, described in the law, was for Israel, at a specific time and place; the Old Testament era.
After the Passover, the Children of Israel left Egypt, and eventually ended up at Mount Sinai. There God gave them the law; not just the 10 commandments, but hundreds of laws to govern their civil, moral, and ceremonial life.
But what is a Christian supposed to do with all these laws?
This message concludes our look at the ten plagues of Egypt, and our look at the Passover and the Lord's table.
In this episode we look at the Passover plague and celebration and consider the parallels between it and the Last Supper with Jesus and His disciples.
This message covers the 9th plague of darkness against Egypt, and begins the meaning rich 10th plague: the death of the first born. The 10th plague is the foundation for the Passover celebration, and is later filled with meaning by our Lord Jesus Christ at the Last Supper.
The 10 plagues God sent to Egypt were examples of how God uses suffering to accomplish His purposes.
In this message we continue the message that God brings suffering in this world to teach us. Each of the ten plagues against Egypt taught a different lesson to Pharaoh, Egypt, and even the children of Israel.
In this part of the story of Moses we are confronted with the question of suffering. God will bring 10 plagues against Egypt that will not only affect the Pharaoh and the Egyptians, but also the Israelites. So why does God bring suffering?
This is the second part of the sermon; Hearing and Avoiding the call of God. Moses heard God's call to return to Egypt and deliver the Children of Israel from their slavery, But he made five excuses as to why God shouldn't have him do it.
In this second sermon over the life of Moses, we find Moses being called by God to lead the children of Israel out of Egyptian bondage. But Moses offers 5 excuses to God as to why he is not the man for the job.
Before they met Jesus, the 12 disciples were sinful, fearful, and flawed people. And even after they spent 3 years following Him, they still abandoned Him at His crucifixion. But then Jesus was raised from the dead, and He put His Spirit in them. They were transformed into different people. You can have that same transformation.
As we begin the book of Exodus in our Firm Foundations series, we discover that God keeps His Word.
This is the final message around discovering your spiritual gifts. In this message we discover that we are given our gifts for the "perfecting of the saints."
This our tenth message around the Spiritual gifts. In this one we examine the gifts of discerning spirits, and the gift of service or helps.
This study takes us to the next spiritual gifts of leadership, administration, and faith.
This is the next part of the series on Spiritual gifts. We are looking at the gifts of prophecy and exhortation.
In this message we are defining and describing the Spiritual gifts of the "word of knowledge," "word of wisdom," and teaching.
This is the end of the sign gifts: Miracles, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.
In this message we continue with our study of the Spiritual gifts by looking at miracles, healings, tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.
In this message we continue looking at the Spiritual gifts. This week we are considering the sign gifts of healing, miracles, tongues and interpretation of tongues.
We are preparing, as a church, to take a Spiritual gift survey. But before taking the survey, we want to make sure everyone understands what the Spiritual gifts are. We are studying the gifts out of the lists in 1 Corinthians, Romans, Ephesians, and 1st Peter.
Every Christian has a spiritual gift from God. So they need to discover what it is, and put it to work.
I preached this message out of the book of Galatians describing how Paul held firm to the truth of the gospel, despite opposition.
This is the final message comparing the stories of Joseph and Jesus. Joseph is a foreshadowing of Christ in the salvation he offered and his inheritance.
This message is designed to give you "Just the Word" on homosexuality. In other words, it is primarily a reading of Scripture on a topic, without a lot of comment.
The epistle of James addresses the issue of favoritism: treating people differently based on superficialities.
We have many decisions we have to make in our lives. But, how do we know what God would have us do? How can we know that we are hearing from Him?
Are you really a Christian? Many people claim to be followers of Jesus Christ, but they don't follow it up with how they live their lives. What's more, they don't even seem to care what Scripture says about how they live their lives.
So, here's the question. Can you really say you are following someone, if you don't follow?
The movie "A Christmas Story" is a cherished story of a young boy's quest for the perfect Christmas gift; the Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model air rifle.
And the movie became an instant classic, often religiously watched in countless houses during the Christmas season.
But what is it about the movie that is so compelling? I suggest that there is a hidden sense of connection that many of us have to Ralphie.
In this episode of Firm Foundations we continue looking at the life of Joseph as a foreshadowing of the coming of Jesus. And here we consider the salvation from starvation offered by Joseph, and the salvation from sin offered by our Lord Jesus Christ.
There are a number of parallels between the life of Joseph and that of Jesus. This week we look at the ascension of them both.
The story of Joseph in Genesis is a wonderful foreshadowing of the life of Christ. Both were preferred by their Fathers, both were hated by their brothers, both were falsely accused, both were tempted without giving in to temptation, both were exalted to the throne.
The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis is the best foreshadowing of Christ in all of Scripture.
God was at work sanding off Jacob's rough edges. He was changing him from a deceiver, to a patriarchal man of faith.
The future of the church depends on the spiritual lives of the church's individual members. Jesus said that if we "abide in Him" we will bear much fruit.
In our study of Scripture today we discover that if we are filled with God's Spirit, we will be filled with singing, thankfulness, and service.
We are continuing with our study in John 15 around the subject, "How do I Abide in Christ?" Jesus promised His disciples that if they abided in Him, they would produce much fruit. That is our desire as a church, but how do we do it?
This is the third sermon around the subject of Joseph from the book of Genesis. Joseph is unique in that his life is life a scale model for the later life of Christ. In this sermon we look at his imprisonment and exaltation.
The story of Jacob in the Old Testament is the story of God's salvation. Jacob was first chosen, then God worked on him to give him victory over his sinful nature, his dysfunctional nurture, his personal narcissism, and over the nincompoops of his life.
The story of Jacob in the Old Testament is the story of God's salvation. Jacob was first chosen, then God worked on him to give him victory over his sinful nature, his dysfunctional nurture, his personal narcissism, and over the nincompoops of his life.
The story of Jacob in the Old Testament is the story of God's salvation. Jacob was first chosen, then God worked on him to give him victory over his sinful nature, his dysfunctional nurture, his personal narcissism, and over the nincompoops of his life.
We finished up our messages about the legacy that Abraham left, and how he is an example for us.
After discovering truths about God from the life of Abraham, we now look at his life to discover how to leave a Godly legacy.
While Abraham went through a major change in his life, He needed to know some things about the God who called him to make those changes: God is in control, God chose Abraham, and God keeps His promises.
In this message we continue looking at the promises that God has made to all of His children.
We have been looking at life lessons during times of change. We have been considering Abraham as an example of how to face those changes. He knew that God was in control, that he was chosen, and that God keeps His promises.
We think on the same things as we go through change. Today we look at the last; God keeps His promises. But what are God's promises to the Christian.
Here are seven; propitiation, presence, provision, peace, power, pointing the way, and perspective.
Abraham is a great example for Christians on going through times of transition. He had a right attitude toward God, and he responded to God's instruction with obedience.
This is the final sermon in the series over the Tower of Babel. In it we conclude our doctrinal statements that arise from the story. In this we discover how the people responded to the flood judgment, how God responded to the sin of the Tower of Babel, and who is in control.
As we continue our journey through the Bible we come to the story of the Tower of Babel and its doctrinal lessons. The first lesson we learned from it was that all of mankind is one race. In this message we will consider two more doctrinal statements. The first is that death is inevitable. The second is that mankind's natural inclination is to follow after sin.
In Genesis 10 through 11 the Bible describes the event that answers many doctrinal questions. The first of them is, "Are we many races, or just one race?" This message explores the answer to that question.
As we come to the conclusion of our messages around Noah and the flood we will look at two more doctrines that come from this event; God chooses to cleanse sin by blood, and the end times days will be like the days of Noah.
We had a special service honoring Fathers and Mothers Day this year. So, my message was built around examples of couples in the Bible who were examples of Godliness.
Despite the fact that many view the story of Noah and the ark as myth, or at best, a story from the ancient past with little bearing on today, the story of Noah and the ark actually lays the foundation stones for the doctrine that will arise from Scripture.
The story of Noah and the ark illustrates some basic doctrines of the Bible. Not the least of them is that salvation comes by grace, through faith.
We come now to the story of Noah and the ark in the book of Genesis. And there are some foundational truths about salvation that we learn from this story of judgement.
Today we continue to look at the genealogy between Adam and Noah. There are individuals in that line who illustrate the broad way to destruction; Cain and Lamech. There are also individuals who illustrate the narrow rad to life; Seth, Enoch, and Noah.
Jesus said that all people make a choice between a narrow Spiritual path that leads to life, and a broad one that leads to destruction. As we look at the generations between Adam and Noah, we find illustrations of both. The broad path is illustrated by Cain and Lamech, the narrow is illustrated by Seth, Enoch, and Noah.
This is the concluding message to takes us from the Garden to the curse. We come to the effect of the curse and sin on the life of Adam and Eve's son; Cain.
Today we get the answer to the question; What happened to God's creation? What happened to creation was that it came under the curse because of the sin of Adam and Eve. And that curse brought us to our current condition. What is our current condition? Everything dies.
Last time we talked about the first steps that led to the curse on this world; the Garden, and the Law. Now we will consider the next two; the Serpent and the Fall.
Six times in Genesis one God calls His creation "good." Then after He creates humankind He looks over all His creation and calls it "very good."
So what happened? If we look around at the world today, with its weather extremes and catastrophes, if we consider humankind and his depravity, selfishness and violence against the world and against other humans, we find that we cannot call it "very good." In fact, it is often "very bad."
So what happened? We are going to open up Scripture in this three part sermon to discover the answer. And the answer comes in five parts; the Garden, the Law, the Serpent, the Fall, and the Curse.
This is the second part of the description of the creation week. God gave us a great gift in the sun, moon, and stars, the fish and fowl, and land animals.
The six days of creation not only demonstrate God's great power but also His great love for humanity. He created a world perfectly suited for humankind.
We are beginning a new study of all of the Bible. It is designed to be an overview of Scripture that will only take us one to two years to complete. To understand the Bible we have to understand the Bible's Central Character; God.
As we begin our study of the Bible we discover that God created everything, and that includes beings that we know as angels. But what does the Bible say about angels? When were they created? What are they? What is their purpose? Were they perfect?
In this second sermon from Genesis one, we explore the meaning behind the words, "In the beginning, God created." And we discover from them, and the rest of the chapter, that God is eternal, Trinity, alone as God, and Sovereign.
We come to the final message in my series, "What is happening in Israel and what does it mean?" In this message, we look at the signs that we would expect to see in Israel indicating that the end times are upon us.
We've already noted that the Jewish people must be in Israel and hostility toward Israel has to be growing in order to set the stage for end-times events. In this message we look at the rise of the antichrist, the 7-year peace treaty he initiates, and the rebuilding of the temple. These will be early indicators that the Tribulation has begun.
Finally, we lay out the remaining events of the Tribulation and Great Tribulation as they relate to Israel
When the angels announced to the shepherds the birth of Christ, they were not only declaring that God had a gift for mankind in the Christ child, but along with Him is given; no fear, good news, great joy, glory to God, peace, and God's pleasure.
When the angels announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds, they told them about some specific gifts that God wants to give to everyone who comes to faith in Christ; No fear, good news, great joy, glory to God, peace, and pleasing God.
We are continuing this series of sermons answering the questions; What is happening in Israel, and what does it mean?
The chief answer to our second question, "What does it mean?" is that the events happening in Israel are like puzzle pieces snapping into place. When you come close to finishing a puzzle, those final pieces start falling into place more easily, and you can see the complete picture of what the puzzle is depicting.
Well, these events and hostilities in Israel feel like final end-times pieces snapping into place.
Ever since the Jewish people, en masse, began returning to Isreal and building that nation, the expectation that we were close to the end has been growing. And now we have further signs that it is close; worldwide hostility toward Isreal, the very real prospect that a world leader (we come to know as the antichrist) will broker a 7-year peace treaty, the rebuilding of the temple and return to the Old Testament sacrificial system. All of these no longer seem like fanciful tales from overzealous Bible-thumpers.
This message is the continuation of the answer to our question, "What is happening in Israel, and what does it mean?" In Daniel chapter 9, we find a prophecy that defies explanation. 600 years before Jesus was born, Daniel is given a prophecy that takes history all the way to Jesus' first coming, and on to the antichrist and Jesus' second coming. And all these events take place in Israel, with Jerusalem at its hub.
In this message, we begin looking at what things have to be in place in Israel, in order for the last seven years of the prophecy in Daniel to unfold.
On October 7th, 2023, Hamas attacked Israel from the Gaza strip leading to thousands of death, injuries & other atrocities. Does this event tie into prophecy?
We come today to the last sermon in the series; "To What Kinds of Prayers does God Answer 'Yes?'" And this sermon gives an example of a "God-exalting prayer." It is the prayer of Jonah from the belly of the great fish.
For our prayers to receive more "yeses," they must be God-exalting. Our purpose in life, the purpose of all creation, and all that happens in this life is to bring praise to God. And your prayers are no exception.
This is the last point in this sermon series, "The kind of prayer that God answers 'yes.'" The final kind of prayer is God-exalting prayer. We are studying the disciple's prayer.
This message concludes our look at one type of prayer that God answers "Yes." The Fervent prayer. Fervent prayer is defined as a prayer that is persistent, passionate, and pleading.
Not only does God answer the prayers of the righteous, humble, and scriptural, but He also answers the prayers of the fervent. And fervency can be described in three ways; persistence, passion, and pleading.
Not only does God answer the prayers of the righteous, humble, and scriptural, but He also answers the prayers of the fervent. And fervency can be described in three ways; persistence, passion, and pleading.
The kind of prayer that God answers "yes."
Scripture tells us that "the fervent effectual prayer of a righteous man accomplishes much. So, if you want to have effective prayers, you have to be in right standing with God.
What does that look like? You have to have a righteous position, a righteous practice, and a righteous posture.
In our ongoing study of answered prayer, we've discovered that God answers Scriptural prayers. That means that when we pray for things that are God's plan or will, as stated in Scripture, we can be sure that He will answer those prayers with a "yes."
In First Thessalonians 3:10-13, Paul prays for the Christians in Thessalonican, and he prays that they have a complete faith, an abounding love, and a strengthened hope.
This week we discover what an "abounding love" is.
In the previous message, we found that God answers "Yes" to Scriptural prayers. That means that we are to pray based on what God reveals to be His will, as revealed in the Bible. In today's sermon, I am giving an example of that kind of prayer. In 1st Thessalonians 3:10-13, Paul is praying for the people of the church in Thessalonica. And he is praying for three things for them; An increasing faith, an abounding love, and a growing hope.
Those are three things that we can pray for ourselves, and other Christians, that we can be assured that God will answer "Yes."
There are certain things that all Christians do; read the Bible, pray, go to church, and be obedient to the Word.
In regard to prayer, we all pray. And we ask God to act when we have wants or needs. But if we have been Christians for any amount of time, we know that we don't always get what we ask for.
So, how can I change my prayers so that the answer is "yes" more often? That is the topic of this sermon series.
Through all the struggles, crises, problems, and pain of life, we find ourselves calling out to God for help. And sometimes God moves to our aid. But sometimes, He does not.
Sometimes God answers "no," or "wait." In fact, Scripture tells us that some of our prayers may even be sinful in their requests to God.
So, if we don't want to pray sinful prayers, and we want to pray prayers that will be answered affirmatively by God, what kind of prayers should we be praying?
This message is one of a series that answers that question.
Prayer is a common experience among Christians. We pray together in our Bible Studies and worship services. We pray with our families. We pray as we drive. We pray when we get up in the morning, and as we lay our heads on our pillows at night.
Prayer includes worshiping God, confessing sin, and thanking God. But it is often dominated by making requests to God regarding things that are happening in our lives, or the lives of those we love.
We go to God with requests for supernatural intervention; with sickness, finances, or relationships.
And sometimes we get a positive answer to our prayers; the sick get better, the money comes in, and the relationship is saved.
But sometimes we don't get what we desire.
So with that in mind, I wanted to address the question, in a series of sermons, "To What Kind of Prayers does God Answer Yes?"
This final sermon in chapter five of 1st Corinthians unfolds the final problems associated with the problem of sexual immorality in the Corinthian church.
Along with the sin of incest committed by one of their members, they also had a problem with their witness in the community, their arrogance, their failure to properly discipline this man, and their misunderstanding of who they were in Christ.
We began studying the text of 1 Corinthians 5 a few weeks ago and found that the Corinthian church had a problem; sexual immorality in the church. A church member was having a sexually intimate relationship with his stepmother.
But as we opened up the chapter we found that the problem ran deeper than the affair. The church's reputation was at stake. And in today's message, we uncover two more problems; the members of the church were so arrogant that they couldn't see the problem so they were not speaking to the man to stop the affair, or be put out of the church.
Join us today and listen to how this incident in the Corinthian church is relevant to the church today.
In this chapter, Paul addresses a second major problem in the Corinthian church. The problem is fornication, but as we noted last time, sin does not take place in a vacuum.
What one member does in the church has a ripple effect across the congregation.
What Paul points out is that their reputation in the community is at stake. They have someone involved in a sin that even the outside world considers reprehensible.
Paul wrote his first letter to the church in Corinth addressing several problems in the church. The first problem was divisions in the church. The second problem that Paul addresses in the Corinthian church was the problem of fornication.
He stated that it was commonly reported that there was fornication in the church at Corinth.
We can gather from just those few words that that was a bad thing. That there should be no fornication found in the church. It should not have been found in the church in Corinth, and should not be found in the modern Christian church.
But what is fornication? In this first message of chapter five, we define it.
As Paul continues listing the qualities of Christian leadership, he compares the Christian leader to the ultimate model for a Christian leader; a godly father.
All of the qualities of a godly father are the same qualities that a godly Christian leader will have.
Paul continues enumerating the qualities of Christian Leadership. In addition to being a servant and a steward, the Christian leader is above human criticism and is not arrogant.
Paul has been addressing the problem of disunity in the Corinthian church. Now he comes to the last principle that they need to agree on Leadership. Leadership is different in the church than in the world. A leader in the church is not the one who pushes and connives their way to the top. Paul says they are to be servants and stewards.
This passage of Scripture describes the viewpoint that a Christian should have toward the things in this life. We are to have a Godly viewpoint of ourselves, others, our possessions, and our possessor.
As Easter passes again this year we've celebrated the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.
But many in the world we live in continue to reject the resurrection as an actual historic event. They will often acknowledge that Jesus lived and started the Christian movement. They will acknowledge the reality of the crucifixion. But they continue to believe that somehow His disciples stole Jesus' body and created the resurrection story.
Well, this message is a presentation of 5 evidences for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. They are; the existence of the church, the 12 disciples' witnesses, 500 other witnesses, the antagonistic witness, and the common message of the early church.
Every person faces two realities in this life; death and judgment. And as certain as everyone is going to die, so certain is it that they will stand in judgment. Scripture says in Hebrews 9:27
"And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,"
All people will be judged for their sins.
But Christians have already been judged for their sins; Christ bore their sins on the cross. So the judgment they face after death is a judgment for rewards, not for sin.
1 Corinthians 3:12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, 13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. 14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.
A Christians reward is our topic for today.
The Bible says that we are all on the same collision course. First comes life, then death, then comes judgment from God.
The Bible says, "For it has been given to men to die once, then comes the judgment."
And Jesus said that at the judgment you would give an account of even every idle word that you speak.
Are you ready for judgment?
Have you ever had "one of those days?" One of those days where you wonder why you got out of bed?
Well, in Genesis 21 Abraham was having "one of those days." To be more precise, it was probably "one of those years." No matter how good life seemed to be working out for him, his past indiscretions kept popping up to taunt him.
He is not sooner celebrating at the birth and weaning of his son Isaac, when his wife Sarah comes to him and demands that he "cast out" his other son Ishmael and his mother. He no sooner has taken care of that problem, when Abimilech shows up as a reminder of his old sin.
But, the truth we can gain from this chapter is this; regardless of how we fail, God remains faithful. God fulfilled his promises to Abraham despite some pretty blaring character flaws. And God will hold to His promises to us, even when our lives say that we don't deserve it.
Any organization that is going to be successful has to have one thing; unity. They have to be united in their purpose, their direction, and the means by which they are going to achieve their common goals. If they don't have unity, the rest is irrelevant.
The church is no different. In 1 Corinthians 3:1-9, Paul addresses one more area of agreement that the church must come to in order to successfully fulfill God's commission for them; unity in our understanding of spiritual maturity.
What is the primary job of the Church in this world? It is to seek lost sheep.
If you were to look at the activities of the modern American church, you might be confused about that. Activities in the church range from Entertainment to Charity, from Education to Socials.
In fact, most modern American churches seem to be centered on one primary activity; getting more seats in the seats. But that is not the same as seeking lost sheep.
In this 3rd sermon of my 20-year anniversary, I ask the question, "What do we do with the next 20 years?" And the answer is "Seek Lost Sheep." This sermon explores who those lost sheep are, and where we find them.
The Lord described the church as a flock of sheep, and in that analogy, we can find the three purposes of the church; Fix your eyes on the Great Shepherd, Listen to the Word from the Undershepherd, and seek lost sheep.
It's hard to believe that I've pastored in this church for 20 years. In this message, I take a look back over my history with the church, and ask the question; What will the next 20 years bring?
Jesus' final prayer for His disciples was that they be one, as the Father and Son are One. And Paul chooses to address the factions in the church at Corinth first, above all of their other problems.
Why is unity in Christ's church given such importance? Because, regardless of the other problems we have, if we are not united under the leadership and Lordship of Christ, no other problem is solvable.
So it is very important that we come to a common understanding of some basic Biblical definitions; wisdom, the Cross of Christ, greatness, humility, and this week, the Work of the Holy Spirit.
Of all the ways that the church should be united, "United around our understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit" has to rank in the top. So, in this study, we discover how the Holy Spirit works so that we can recognize it. He proclaims Christ crucified, reveals God's wisdom, and speaks through the Scripture.
Many people look at the Christian Church and disdain it. And they have many accusations to raise by which they justify their hatred of the Church. Among the top accusations has to do with all the divisions in the Church. Not only are there thousands of doctrinal divisions among those who call themselves Christian, there are also local churches that are plagued by infighting and divisions.
But Paul had the solution to those divisions that he offered to the 1st-century church in Corinth. In order to heal division the Church needs to come to agree... with Christ, with God, with the Word of God.
And in the local church, the agreement starts with 4 areas; They must understand and agree with God's definition of intelligence, the cross of Christ, greatness, and wisdom.
In this message we look at agreement with God's definition of greatness.
Paul chastises the church at Corinth because they were dividing into factions. As we consider the unity that God desires for the church, they are to be united in their understanding of wisdom, their understanding of the Cross of Christ, and their understanding of greatness.
In this message, we consider our unity around the Cross of Christ.
Of all the problems that a church can have, the most important to address is unity.
But it is not the kind of unity that the world calls for; superficial. The unity of the Church should come from a devotion to The One Truth, an ever-growing understanding of the One Truth, and an application of that One Truth to their lives.
In short, we are to unite around the Word of God and the Cross of Christ.
What is the church's biggest problem today? We are studying the 1st letter of Paul to the Corinthian church, and they had many problems like we have today in the church. Divisions, sexual immorality, marriage confusion, self-exaltation, and doctrine. But what was their biggest problem?
It was none of those. Their biggest problem was that they forgot that Christ was their Master, and they were His slaves.
A New Year's Resolution for the Tired
Everybody begins the new year by talking about New Year's resolutions. They resolve to lose weight, quit smoking, or get in shape. It is a time of year when optimism abounds in regard to making big changes in your life.
But there are many people who hear all of the commentaries at new year's regarding making resolutions, and they say, "Bah, Humbug." And the reason they say that is because they have tried the resolution route many times with many failures; no real change followed.
Today I am going to propose a new year's resolution for those people; for the tired. And I am proposing it based on the Scripture passage in Psalm 139: 23-24.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."
We continue with our study of Paul's letter to the church in Corinth. And it reminds us of what it means to be a Christian. To be a Christian means that something happened to me in the past, something continues to happen in the present, and I look forward to something happening in the future.
Regardless of the circumstances of a Christians life, there are three things they can be thankful for; being chosen, being a saint, having the grace and peace of God.
This message is the introduction to the study of Paul's epistle to the Corinthians. I entitled this series of sermons; Jesus is Lord of your life; now act like it.
I gave it that title because the church at Corinth had a sin problem. There were divisions in the church, marriage issues, sexual immorality, lawsuits, worship problems, false doctrine, and idolatry.
And this message is quite relevant because the American church also has a sin problem. We need to come to terms with the truth that Jesus is Lord and we need to act like it.
This is the final sermon in the series, "Lord, Send a Revival, and let it begin in me." The passage of Scripture we are considering today is about a riot that ensues in response to the revival that happened in Ephesus.
There are two points that I want to emphasize. First, real revival will be opposed by the world. And second, even the violent opposition to the gospel demonstrates the power of God, and the emptiness of the world's system and answers.
This is part 4 of this series of sermons from Acts 19. We've been studying the revival that happened in Ephesus in the first century. And that revival can be classified as genuine or real. It wasn't just emotionalism or a crowd's attraction to a good show.
Real revival comes when the Holy Spirit of God does supernatural work in a person or a group of people. When that happens, real changes occur in the person's life.
That's where we come today in our story. The revival that happened in Ephesus caused revolutionary change in people's lives.
This is part 4 of this series of sermons from Acts 19. We've been studying the revival that happened in Ephesus in the first century. And that revival can be classified as genuine or real. It wasn't just emotionalism or a crowd's attraction to a good show.
Real revival comes when the Holy Spirit of God does supernatural work in a person or a group of people. When that happens, real changes occur in the person's life.
That's where we come today in our story. The revival that happened in Ephesus caused revolutionary change in people's lives.
Sometimes when we sing, "Lord, Send a Revival, and let it begin in me," I don't think we understand what we are asking for. We want our world to magically go back to a simpler time when churches were full, prayer was practiced in school, and we naively believed that those who worked in Washington D.C. were "public servants."
But real revival is like what happened in Ephesus in Acts 19; it is hard work, it fosters rabid opposition, and it brings radical change to the lives of those who pray for it and experience it.
When Christians talk about revival, they are often thinking about a sudden move of God that results in large numbers of people coming to Christ or returning to Christ. But if we look at Acts 19, and the ensuing revival that broke out in Asia Minor, the revival wasn't sudden, and it wasn't simple, or easy.
We often ask God to send revival, but most of us don't know what that will mean in our lives. Real revival from God will be rigorous, rewarding, rapturous, revolutionary, and riotous.
There is a lot of teaching about the Holy Spirit in Christian churches, literature, and media today. And unfortunately, I believe the majority of it is at best murky, and at worst destructive.
And chief among those destructive teachings is the doctrine that states that those who are already Christians have to seek the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a second gift from God.
In this sermon, we are looking at 12 men, that Paul encounters in Ephesus, who have not "received the Holy Spirit." And how we interpret this story, has a profound influence on how we view our own salvation, and on our image of who God is.
What does it mean to be a Christian? Is everyone a Christian who calls himself one? If they say all the right words, does that make them a Christian? In this passage of Scripture Paul encounters 12 men who are called disciples and he references when they believed. On might assume from those two words that these 12 were already Christians when they met Paul. But as the story unfolds, we discover that they are not.
There are a great number of ordinary people in the Bible who live ordinary lives in service to the Lord, but never get recognition for it. They are the unsung heroes of Scripture.
There are also those who get a measure of notoriety for a brief moment but then pass into history with little fanfare. They are the unsung heroes of Scripture.
In my next two messages, we will look at three such people; Apollos, Aquila, and Priscilla. I hope they inspire you to be the follower of the Lord Jesus that He desires, regardless of praise or recognition.
Part 2 of this sermon
It seems like every day we hear about some craziness that's happening in the world, in our country, or even next door to us. And if we are Christians, it gets easier and easier to want to give up on being a "light in the darkness."
This message addresses that thought; the desire to give up. In Acts 18:18-23, we continue with the story of Paul, taking the good news of salvation out into a crazy world. And as we read his story, we have to wonder, "How did he keep going? How did he stay sane?"
We are gleaning some principles that answer those questions from these verses.
It seems like every day we hear about some craziness that's happening in the world, in our country, or even next door to us. And if we are Christians, it gets easier and easier to want to give up on being a "light in the darkness."
This message addresses that thought; the desire to give up. In Acts 18:18-23, we continue with the story of Paul, taking the good news of salvation out into a crazy world. And as we read his story, we have to wonder, "How did he keep going? How did he stay sane?"
We are gleaning some principles that answer those questions from these verses.
From July 18th until August 2nd 2022, Kansans will be given the opportunity to vote on the "Value Them Both" amendment. As pastor of Parkview Baptist Church, I can't dictate to the congregation how they should vote. But I can give my own opinion. And I believe that you should vote "yes" on this amendment.
In this short message, I explain why. This message is not intended to represent anything more than my own conviction as a pastor.
This week we began a church diagnosis. If we use the analogy of a tree, our church tree is sick. It has ceased producing fruit, and it is diseased to the point of death. So if we are going to see this tree "revitalized" we have to look the signs of a healthy tree, and compare it to ours.
The signs of a healthy church have to do with relationships; to the Lord, to each other, to the world, and when these relationships are healthy you will see awesome results.
In this message we begin looking at the diagnosis of our church's relationship to the Lord as evidenced by our reception of the Word of the Lord.
We are beginning the fourth week of our 40 days of prayer. As I considered the devotions for the upcoming week I noticed several that concerned our eternal reality, As we ask God for the revitalization of our church we are asking Him to help us live up to the eternal reality that we are already living in. That reality is one of worship, trust, forgiveness, and victory.
When an injured body is brought by ambulance to the emergency room, they look for signs of life. Do we have a heartbeat? Is he breathing? Are the eyes fixed and dilated?
They look for the signs of life.
But what are the signs of life in a church? What are the signs that there is Spiritual activity, not just activity, happening there?
In this message I want to present to you three signs of spiritual life in a church, or in a Christian, that indicate Spiritual life; humility, love, and power.
This second message about our 40 days of prayer for revitalization looks at our priorities. Since we know that only God can breathe new life into a church, then we have to ensure that our priorities match God's priorities.
Simply put, God has to be our first priority, others our second, and we have to put ourselves in third place in terms of importance.
In other words, we are not trying to revive our church for our benefit, but for God's glory, and for the salvation of others.
Are there any limits on what God can do?
Our natural and automatic response is to say, "No, God can do anything." And yes, God can do anything. But He chooses not to do some things. He limits His work by His nature and His purposes.
So, in the Church, God chooses to limit Himself by our belief or unbelief, our humility of pride, and our purity or sinfulness.
If we want to see God work among us in the church, we have to address these areas.
The last chapter of Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica deals with a 3rd debilitating condition that may exist in any church; disobedience.
It is the worst condition that can exist in the church because it is not passive like being discouraged or being deceived. It is when someone is actively disobeying the Word of God, and refusing to listen to anyone who points out their need for repentance.
And frankly, it is why, I believe, the Bible-believing churches in America have lost their power.
Many churches today are faced with the prospect that their doors might close for good. So, the effort then begins to "save" that work. There are many steps a church needs to go through in order to revitalize a congregation. But the first step a declining church must take is to ask themselves why they want to save "their" church.
Because if our motives are self-centered, not God-centered, then we will fail to preserve a church that does what God designed the church to do.
In this message, we look at three motivations for "saving" a church.
As we prepare to celebrate this day that we call Easter, it is easy to get lost in all the things that have nothing to do with the real meaning behind the occasion.
So, I wanted to do two things with this message;
1. Answer the question, "How did we get from Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection, to chocolate bunnies?"
2. Answer a second question, "What is the true meaning of this day?"
In our last message, we discovered that there was active disobedience and sin in the church in Thessalonica. The nature of the disobedience was a people who refused to work and support themselves.
In this message, we look at how Paul addressed this disobedience. It is an example of how we, in the church, are to approach other Christians, when they are living in disobedience.
The second debilitating condition in the church is deception. It is when the church or individual believers choose to believe something that contradicts the Word of God. Or when they let false teaching persist in the church.
False teaching is a cancer that will destroy the Church from the inside out.
The 3rd debilitating condition that Paul addressed in the church at Thessalonica was disobedience. Some people were disobeying the command of Scripture, and Paul's direct instruction, and refusing to work. And they were living off of the charity of other church members.
In this first part of this message, we delve into the details of this circumstance.
This is a sermon by my late father; Art Hays. The message is about the woman who was taken in adultery. The quality of the recording isn't the greatest, but I hope you are blessed by it none-the-less.
In this message, we look at the deception that was circulating in the church in Thessalonica and how Paul dealt with it. Paul confronted false teaching. He didn't tolerate it. He didn't say, "You have your truth and I have mine, and that's okay." He didn't say, "What I think the Bible says is _____, What do you think the Bible says?"
No, he stated that someone was spreading a lie. So he confronts it and corrects it by referring back to what the Scripture says.
Our generation needs to learn a lesson from Paul.
The second condition that sucks the power out of a church or out of the life of a Christian is deception. Deception is when you choose to believe a lie. As bad as the 1st debilitating condition was; discouragement, deception has done far more to destroy the church than discouragement has.
In this passage of Scripture, Paul warns the Thessalonian believers that a lie is circulating in their church. Then he tells them how to deal with it.
There are 3 conditions in the church that can impair or extinguish the church's, or a Christian's effectiveness; Discouragement, Deception, and Disobedience. Paul addresses all three in his 2nd letter to the church at Thessalonica. We look at Discouragement in this message.
As the millennium closes, then comes the judgment, and the marriage supper of the Lamb. Then all the saints of all the ages will enter into the eternal presence of the Lord.
Is there any way to know if Jesus was actually born on December 25th? In this message we look at some details of the story that help us determine the date of His birth.
In this episode about the end times, we answer the question, "What will that time be like?" In short, all of the good that Jesus did as He lived His human life 2000 years ago will be exponentially multiplied worldwide. Healing disease, abolishing famine, restoring nature, and enforcing justice against evil will be the normal course of life for 1000 years.
And Jesus will literally reign in Israel, with the Jewish people returned to Him. Maranatha, even so come Lord Jesus!
Tradition tells us that Jesus was born on December 25th, around 1 B.C. But does the Biblical narrative bear that out? We're going to look at the controversy surrounding the date of Jesus' birth in these two final sermons of this series.
At Christmas each year we read the story in Matthew and Luke about Jesus' virgin conception. And Matthew tells us that it was predicted 700 years before by the prophet Isaiah when he said, "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and you shall call His Immanuel."
And each year there are those who would cast doubt on the virgin conception by saying that this prophecy in Isaiah had nothing to do with the Coming Messiah, and that Matthew mishandled Scripture by quoting from the Greek translation of the original Hebrew text.
This message addresses those questions.
Where did Jesus come from? As we come through another Christmas season, the question of Jesus' ancestry continues to be a source of doubt for many outside the church.
One of the most beloved parts of the story of Jesus is the story of His birth. But, as much as it is loved by Christians, it is attacked that much by its detractors. The Christmas story has been a source of controversy since the day that the Christ Child was laid in the manger and the angels said, "Glory to God in the Highest."
In this series of sermons, we are going to look at some of the biggest attacks against the Christmas story, and give answers to objections.
In my Thanksgiving sermon, I preached that we have things to be thankful for in a fruitless year. In that sermon, I compared the church to the parable of the fruitless tree that Jesus told in the gospel of Luke.
But, as a follow-up to that sermon, what does a church or Christian have to do to prepare themselves for future fruitfulness? We will answer that question in this message.
We've gone through a tough time in our church and in our lives over the last months. And as I look over the present state of things in our country, even in my church, and life, it can feel like a long dry season. And it feels like we may never emerge.
So, I preached this sermon during Thanksgiving week this year to encourage the hearts of those who still hold fast to Christian faith; "Things to be Thankful for in a fruitless year."
In this concluding message from 1st Thessalonians, we finish the last part of what "the Church is Supposed to be;" A People of Growth in Actions. And that growth is characterized by three things; following the leading of God's Spirit, staying away from all forms of evil, and clinging to everything that is good.
The church is to be a people of growth. We become better in our attitudes, our knowledge, and our actions. In this message, we discover the guide to our actions; the Holy Spirit. Paul simply tells the Thessalonians "Don't grieve the Spirit." Today I want to share with you 4 truths about the Holy Spirit that are implied in that command.
The church is to be a people of growth in knowledge. We never stop growing in our knowledge of God and the truth. That's why Paul gave two commands to the church in Thessalonica; Don't despise prophecies, and test all things. In this study, we will discover what those mean in relation to the truth.
We are getting to the Good News portion of our end-times study. We studied the horrors of the Tribulation, the blood-bath of the Battle of Armageddon, but now that Jesus has returned, He begins setting everything right that has been wrong since the Garden of Eden. It is a glorious day!
Paul further encourages the church in Thessalonica by concluding his letter with attitudes, knowledge, and actions in which they can grow. In this message, we look at "growth in attitude." There are three commands that I call the attitude sandwich; Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, and be thankful in everything.
After the 7 years of the Tribulation, Jesus returns and fights the armies of the world at the Battle of Armageddon.
At the end of the Great Tribulation, just before the 2nd Coming of Christ three monumental events happen in the chronology of the end; The two witnesses of God are killed by the antichrist, the Babylonian religious system falls, and the Battle of Armageddon begins.
After the 1st 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation, comes the Great Tribulation. This is a time where God unleashes the horror of His worst judgment for the world and its sin. In the first three and a half years we saw the opening of the first five seals, which seem like simply horrid events that happen on a worldwide scale; worldwide war, famine, death, and persecution.
But in the last three and a half years, God sounds 7 trumpets and pours out 7 bowls of judgment on the world, and they are like nothing the world has seen before. In this episode, we describe those judgments.
The Apostle Paul wrote about "The Day of the Lord" in his letter to the church in Thessalonica. But we, in the modern church, have lost sight of what "The Day of the Lord" is. It is a coming day of judgment against evil, and the deliverance of the righteous. In this message I will share with you out my study of this lost doctrine of judgment and deliverance. We will look at "The Day of the Lord;" What it is, When it is, and Who it is for.
In the second part of this episode, we finish the list of the ten attributes of the antichrist.
In this episode of "The End Times, Are We There Yet?" we study who the antichrist is and how to recognize him.
Paul gives Christians some encouraging truths about what happens at the 2nd coming of Christ. When Jesus returns there will be 3 great events; The Resurrection, The Transformation, and The Reunion.
In this episode, I go over the top ten reasons why I believe that the rapture of the Church will not happen until after the Tribulation.
In other words, ten reasons why I believe that Christians will go through the Tribulation.
We have already discussed the chronology of end-times events laid out in Jesus' Olivet Discourse. Now we are starting our look at the book of Revelation, and its order of events.
As we continue in this study of Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica, we discover more about who Christians are to be. The people of the Church are to be a people of Work. They should stand out in their communities as hard-working people.
Paul gives three commands in this passage; lead a quiet life, attend to your own business, and work with your hands.
This is a continuation of our initial study of Matthew 24: Jesus Olivet Discourse on the End Times. In this study you will get a thorough understanding of why I believe that the Rapture of the Church will not happen until after the 7 year Tribulation.
In part one of this message, we discovered what the Biblical standard for sexuality is. Anything outside of a marriage between one man, and one woman, for life, is sexual immorality.
And sexual immorality also includes our thoughts and motives.
In part 2 of this message, we look at how Paul advised Christians to uphold this standard. It's one thing to set a high standard of purity, it's another to keep that standard.
And keeping it begins with changing the way that you think.
According to Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica, Christians are supposed to "abstain from sexual immorality."
Christians are supposed to be a sexually pure people. Well, what does that mean today? We will discover that in this message from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.
In this second podcast around the topic; "The End Times; Are We There Yet?" we are addressing two questions; What is the one sign that will indicate that the last 7 years of history before the return of Christ has begun, and what are our rules of study for this topic.
This is the concluding message about "The Church; A People of Joy." In all of the messages, I have emphasized that what you believe impacts your joy.
One belief we discussed was your beliefs about time and space. If you believe that this life now is all that there is, then if your present life is bad, and there is no possibility of changing it, then you can have no joy.
But if you believe that this life is just a very short prelude to an eternity in heaven, then the pain of this life is lessened, and the joy of your spiritual life is increased.
The beliefs that we conclude with today are your beliefs about suffering and Sovereignty.
Scripture teaches that suffering will come to everyone; even Christians. And it teaches that God is in control of everything in this world and that He uses it all to either bring you to Christ or make you more like Christ.
Knowing that elicits joy in a believer.
We began a Zoom Bible study on Sunday evenings for our church. The subject is the end of the world according to the Bible.
To be more specific, I wanted to lay out the chronology of events regarding what's called the Tribulation, the Second Coming of Christ, the judgment, and the 1000 year reign of Christ.
In this episode we answered the question, "What is the one sign that indicates that the 7 year Tribulation has begun? And the answer is the rise of the antichrist.
As Christians, what we choose as our priorities will either increase or decrease our joy. If we choose to put ourselves first; our desires, our needs, we will not experience joy, but rather, discontent.
A Christian's priorities are to be; Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself third.
As we continue in this study of 1 Thessalonians we are discovering that the Church is supposed to be a people of joy and that our joy comes out of our beliefs.
The beliefs that we are starting with today concern life priorities. A Christian will not have joy if their priorities are out of sync with Biblical priorities. And Biblical priorities are simple; put Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself third, then you can have JOY.
In our continued look at what the Church is supposed to be, we discovered that the Church is supposed to be a people of joy.
But our joy is affected by what we believe. In part one of this sermon, we discovered that what we believe about time and space impacts our joy. In this message, we learn that what we believe about our enemy, Satan, impacts our joy.
We learn three truths here about Satan; he is active in this world, we have to discern between the work of Satan and the work of God, and we do not have power over Satan apart from God.
The Church is supposed to be a people of joy. That would seem to be a statement that could go without being said. But, very often, we find those who call themselves "the Church" to be dour and mournful, not joyful.
There are plenty of reasons to grieve about the spiritual condition of our world. But there are also many reasons to be joyful.
We are continuing in our study of 1 Thessalonians by looking at chapters 2 through 3; The Church, A People of Joy.
If the Church is what it supposed to be, it will be controversial. That is what we learn from Paul's letter to the church in Thessalonica. They received the Word of God preached to them and God changed their lives.
There you have the two things that make true Christianity controversial; we believe the Bible to be God's Word, and we live our lives by it.
And the world hates that.
In this passage of Scripture we are continuing with the theme; What the Church is supposed to be. Here we are given a description of how Paul gave of himself sacrificially to bring the gospel to the church in Thessalonica.
He was tender with them like a nursing mother, as a caring father.
And that is what the people of the Church are supposed to be; self-sacrificial
This is the fourth part of "The Church is Supposed to be a People of Encouragement." This sermon also touches on what the Bible says about Christians and the end times.
This message is a continuation of the series; Church as it's supposed to be. And the first thing we discovered in Paul's 1st letter to Thessalonica, was that the church is supposed to be a people of encouragement.
We're not just talking about encouraging people to be whatever they want to be, or encouraging them to "be the best you, you can be."
We encourage each other in our walk to become like Christ. In this sermon, we found encouragement in 3 doctrines of the Church; election, the Holy Spirit, and Our Assurance.
What is Church supposed to be? Some people think it should be a social welfare organization. Others think it should be a political action committee.
But as we study the letter that Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica, we can uncover the church as it's supposed to be. And the first thing we discover is that the church should be a people of encouragement.
I recently watched some videos on TikTok where a young lady was asking random people on the street, "Why do people celebrate Easter?" She was trying to determine if many people knew that Easter is the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave.
Sadly, many knew about family gatherings, egg hunts, pastel colors, and chocolate bunnies, some others knew it had something to do with Jesus, but few knew why we celebrate this event.
And I suspect that even fewer would know why Christians personally find so much meaning in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.
This message will explain that.
Part 1: When Paul entered the city of Corinth as recorded in Acts chapter 18, he had hit a low point emotionally. He had been forced out of previous towns before he could solidify the new believers there. He had been dismissed as a fool in Athens. And now he enters the city of Corinth, the "sin city" of the ancient world. The whole place was given over to sexual immorality.
He had to have wondered if he was just throwing seed into the wind trying to share Jesus Christ there. But God stepped in and gave him 5 gifts of encouragement to carry him over the tide of his malaise. And God offers those same 5 gifts to every Christian when they are depressed.
Part 2: When Paul entered the city of Corinth as recorded in Acts chapter 18, he had hit a low point emotionally. He had been forced out of previous towns before he could solidify the new believers there. He had been dismissed as a fool in Athens. And now he enters the city of Corinth, the "sin city" of the ancient world. The whole place was given over to sexual immorality.
He had to have wondered if he was just throwing seed into the wind trying to share Jesus Christ there. But God stepped in and gave him 5 gifts of encouragement to carry him over the tide of his malaise. And God offers those same 5 gifts to every Christian when they are depressed.
What is the church supposed to be? Is it just a social club? A political action committee? Is it a social welfare organization?
We are starting a new study in the Bible book of 1st Thessalonians. And of all the churches that Paul established, the one at Thessalonica best exemplified what a church is supposed to be. So, we are going to look at that 1st century church as an example of what our church at 3430 South Meridian, Wichita, Kansas is supposed to be;
The first thing the church is supposed to be is, a people of encouragement.
Life is a test, and death is the graduation ceremony. And, as happens at graduation, some people will get a diploma, others may get a rolled-up piece of paper that says, "Please make an appointment to speak with the school counselor.
At the end of this life, we will also find out whether we have passed or not.
In this sermon, Paul shares with the people in Athens, what they need to know to pass the test.
Everybody wants their lives to mean something. We all want to make a difference. But sadly, many of us are trying to make a difference in some very shallow ways.
We want a cleaner planet. We want to remove offensive things from store shelves.
But, in the end, the only lasting difference you can make in the world, is if you change, or you guide someone else to change, from the inside.
This message is about some men who were accused of "turning the world upside down." And they did it with the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Jesus said to His disciples, "I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.... You will be hated by all men because of my name."
We are living in the middle of that reality right now. As Dorothy said to Toto, "I don't think we're in Kansas anymore."
For much of my life, we Christians in America had an expectation that society would be hospitable to us, or at least apathetic. But we are now seeing a rise in hostility toward Christian theology and values.
But if we have been faithful students of the Word of God, we would know that that is exactly what we should expect from the world. And if we are going to successfully navigate this new reality, we need to go into it with our eyes wide open.
This is the final sermon in this series. And is appropriate that we finish with how we view God. If your world crumbles around you, it's time to look for the Solid Rock on which you can safely stand. If love and kindness fail from those in the world, you have to trust the One who is the source of real love.
This is my late father's 1st message on God's sovereignty. The sound is pretty bad, but I hope you get a blessing from it.
This is my late father's 2nd message over God's Sovereignty. It is a pretty bad recording, but I hope you get some blessing from it.
In our nation today, it feels like we have less and less control over our future and the future of the country than ever before. If we are being honest, maybe we never had that control.
But if we are Christians, we are given an example in the book of Acts of some people who "turned the world upside down." And they didn't do it with elections, or judges, or legislation. They did it by dedicating themselves to one Cause; the Cause of Christ.
In this sermon today, we continue with the story of Paul and Silas who went out courageously with the message of salvation. And by doing so, rocked their world.
This is the third message that my late father gave in a series about "God's Sovereignty." The sound quality is poor, but I hope you get a blessing from it.
The hostile divisions in our country are widening. Republican vs Democrat, Black vs White, State vs State. And the hostilities have made their way even into what seems to be the most innocent of conversations; mask vs no mask, vaccine vs no vaccine.
So, when it seems as though we have lost some of the cultural and political battles in this country, what then is an American Christian to do?
We have to move our priorities, passions, time and energy to those things that should have been on the top of our list all along.
This is the 4th message in the series, "How to Live in a World that Hates You." And in this sermon we are going to uncover the priority of "Making Disciples."
Each of the four gospels has something important to say about Jesus, and the Christmas story. In this episode, we consider Jesus as a man, according to the gospel of Luke, and Jesus as God, according to John.
How do we live in this world that is drifting farther away from the original core values of this country and people? As a Christian, we used to have certain values in common with most of our neighbors. We all believed in God, the 10 commandments, law and order, our country, and our common history. But now, we find ourselves hated by many around us because of those same values. So what do we do? As Christians we need to get back to the basics; Love, Forgiveness, and for this message, the Word of God.
Many people know that the Christmas story, the birth of Jesus Christ, is only recorded in two of the four gospels; Matthew and Luke. But can the other two gospels, Mark and John, tell us anything about the Christmas story and it's meaning?
In this message, I look at how each of the gospels paints a portrait of Jesus. And each of those portraits is important to have a full understanding of this baby who was born 2000 years ago and laid in a manger.
My late father, Art Hays, delivered this message before his church participated in a Lord's Supper observance. It was interesting to hear some of the insights he gained as he studied the Passover from the book of Exodus.
In this sermon by my late father, Art Hays, he looks at the passage of Scripture where the disciples are trying to prevent children from coming to Jesus.
We need to ask ourselves the question if our actions are preventing our children and grandchildren from coming to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.
The nation that we've grown up in has changed. It used to be that people treated each other with respect, even if they disagreed. A Christian could believe, and teach that abortion and homosexuality are a sin, and people let them alone. A Christian could believe that God created the world in six days, and those beliefs were a least tolerated.
But today, if you express those beliefs or most any Biblical standard, you are scoffed at, impugned, and hated. You are a candidate for a reeducation camp. You are called a racist, bigot, sexist, homophobe.
So, to Christians, first; Welcome to the rest of the world! And second, "How do we live in this new world?"
The book of Hebrews talks about the Christian life as a race. And in order to run well in a race, you have to lay aside those things that weigh you down. One of those things, for most believers, is "the sin that easily entangles you."
What is that? It's that temptation, that sin in your life, that you've struggled with all of your life. For some it may be lust, for others gluttony, and still others struggle with anger.
How do you get past that? Well, we are studying the story of a man in the book of Genesis, who kept telling the same lie, everywhere he went. His name was Abraham. And from his story, in Genesis 20, we find some principles for "Getting Victory Over Besetting Sin."
The story of the Philippian jailor is well-known because he asked the most important question that anyone can ask; "What must I do to be saved?" By the time he asked that question, his entire world had been rocked. His system of thought was disabled, his conclusions about the purpose for his life had been dismantled by two prisoners who had been brought to his jail.
Learn the 4 step answer to the question of salvation.
Jesus called on His disciples to act differently than the world they were living in. You see, it is normal for people to love the people who love us in return. But it is entirely abnormal to love those who hate us.
And we are living in a world where those who would consider themselves enemies of the church and of the people who call themselves Christians, are multiplying.
So how do we respond? By blessing those who curse us, doing good to those who hate us, praying for those who persecute us.
What is the meaning of life? What is the purpose for our being here? Some invest their lives in the pursuit of goodness, money, or power. But, as the old hymn says, "On Christ, the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand."
While Paul was in Philippi preaching Christ, a number of its citizens have their lives meanings slip away, like the ground falling away from under your feet in a landslide.
This is part two of "How to be a Liberated Woman." This is the story of a girl who was enslaved in every possible way that anyone can be enslaved. But from eternal appearances she may have appeared to be quite liberated.
She is an illustration of how freedom only comes in Jesus Christ.
How to be a Liberated Woman (Or Man)
Chapter 16 of Acts tells the story of two women. Both were successful in a chosen field. Both were gifted. Both seemed to be independent of men. But at the end of the day, only one of them was truly liberated.
We think liberation comes when we "call our own shots," when we are our own boss, when we are free to make our own choices based on our decisions of what is right and wrong.
But what we discover from this passage of Scripture is that, number one, we are all slaves to sin, and that it is only in Christ that we can be truly liberated.
How do you follow the leading of the Holy Spirit? Is it a whisper in the ear? Is it following of favorable circumstances, or making a great plan? Is it hearing and obeying the Word of God?
The Holy Spirit leads in a number of ways, and so, as a Christian we have to humbly listen for His voice.
There are times, according to the Bible, when you can, and should defy the authority and law of a government. When is that? In short, any time government tells you to do something that God's Word says not to do, or any time government tells you not to do something that God tells you to do; you have to follow the higher authority of God's Word.
This study has become especially relevant over the last few years in America. Our government has begun encroaching into the life of the church, and into the moral decisions of Christians. And we need to be prepared to take a stand, if this continues.
What is the role of the government according to the Bible? This question makes me think of the common meme; "You had one job, and you couldn't even do that!" The main role of the government according to the Bible is to punish evil and reward good. And in many places around our nation, they are doing the opposite. Rioters are being applauded, and the police are insulted and threatened.
Well, in this second study of Romans 13, we dig further into the job of government according to the Bible. And we answer the question, "What kind of law and order would God have, if He directly wrote laws, and oversaw their enforcement?"
There is much confusion over the meaning of baptism as practiced in Christian churches today. Who should be baptized? When do you do it? (in infancy or adulthood) Where should I be baptized and how? (sprinkling, pouring, or immersion) And most important, do I have to be baptized to be saved? We had a baptismal service at our church where I answered those questions in a sermon.
In these days where the government is mandating wearing masks, social distancing, and restricting large gatherings, how far should a Christian go in obedience to that authority? Is government following its mandate from God when it won't stop violence, rioting, and looting? Christians need to understand the role of government according to the Scripture in order to properly react to their government, and vote for people who will align themselves with Biblical principles.
This is the story of the destruction of the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah. These infamous cities stand through history as examples of God's judgment.
The last of the principles of living the Christian life is to boast in nothing but the Cross of Christ. When we come to Christ we realize that we can't buy our salvation with personal righteousness. We can only be saved by the grace of God. So we have nothing to boast about. Except that the Cross of Christ separated us from the world, made us a new creation, and guaranteed our forever home.
In Paul's letter to the Galatians, he says "Walk in the Spirit, and you will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh." I really want to live that way. I want to live a life that is entirely guided by God's Holy Spirit. I don't want to live a life guided by the lusts of my flesh. So how do I "Walk in the Spirit" as the Bible tells me to? This passage of Scripture tells us how.
How do I know how to live as a Christian? Paul gives us five principles in Galatians 5-6. And in this passage, he describes the principle, "Do good whenever you can." It seems like such a simple concept. But a Christian will live life with an eye open for opportunities to do good to people.
Our Triumph is in Christ! My father, Art Hays, delivered this message from 2 Corinthians a number of years ago. And the sense of the message is that God's people will triumph, God's message will prevail. Despite the circumstances around us, despite any opposition, or seeming lack of results, God's Word does not return void, and it accomplishes exactly what He desires. We can take comfort in that knowledge.
How do Christians decide what's right and wrong? We don't have a long list of do's and don'ts, we live by the law of love. In the 5th and 6th chapters of Galatians Paul explains that we are free from the legalism of the Mosaic law, but we live by 5 principles; Don't give in to legalism, Live by the Law of love, Follow the Holy Spirit, Do good to each other, and Don't boast in anything but the Cross of Christ.
How do we live as Christians? How do we decide what's right and wrong? In Galatians 5 and 6, Paul lays out five principles for Christian living; Don't Submit to Legalism, Live by the Law of Love, Following the Holy Spirit's Leading, Do Good to others, and Don't boast in anything but the Cross of Christ.
In this message, we'll consider the first of those five principles.
How do you know if your denomination or church is teaching the truth? Paul concludes chapter 4 of Galatians with an illustration. And the illustration tells us that there are certain characteristics that are common in denominations that teach falsehoods.
How can you tell if a religious teacher comes from God? There are so many people who say that they represent Spiritual truth, and God, but how can you know? In this passage, the Apostle Paul talks about himself in comparison to the teachers who came to the Galatian churches to teach religious legalism. And he talks about his qualities versus theirs.
Well these same qualities can be used as a guide today to determine if your religious teacher comes from God.
Faith in a world gone crazy
Have you ever had those times when life seemed to being going along great, then the whole world just seemed to go crazy? In Genesis 17 and 18, God tells a 99 year old man to change he and his wife's names, circumcise yourself and 300 other people, your 89 year old wife is going to have a son, and I am going to destroy a group of cities, where your nephew and his family lives, with fire from heaven.
I can almost hear Abram say, "oy vey!"
1 Corinthians 15:33 says: Bad company corrupts good character. In other words, if you choose people of questionable character as your closest friends and confidants, you will become like them in your character. In this chapter in Genesis, we find Abram setting an example for us concerning who he chooses as his friends.
When is it okay to doubt? The Bible characterizes those who doubt as being tossed about by the waves of the sea. Jesus chastens Peter because of his doubt. But in chapters 15 and 16 of Genesis, Abram seems to be doubting the promises of God. But instead of chastening Abram, God encourages him. Why? How was Abram's doubt "okay" in these chapters? And when is it not "okay?"
People today seem to prefer a religion with a list of rules to follow, over one where you are saved by trusting in the work of Christ on the cross.
The Bible book of Galatians describes believers as "Heirs of God," those who "Know God" and are "Known by God." God brings every believer, by grace, out of the rags of their sinfulness, to the riches of being a "son of God," a child of God.
So the question Paul asks the Galatians is, "Why are you trading those riches to go back to the rags of rituals, and legalism?
What is the point behind all those Old Testament Jewish laws; dietary laws, Sabbath day rules, special dress rules, rules regarding cleanness and uncleanness?
Paul explains to the Galatians that the law was given in order to guide us to Christ.
As far as the Bible is concerned there is only one race; the human race. But because of sin, mankind has separated himself, and been hostile to people who look different, or who speak a different language. And the beginnings of those racial and language differences is described in Genesis 10 and 11.
How do we fix the racial and cultural divide? Here's a hint; It's not going to be accomplished with human pride, but by all of us humbling ourselves before God.
Abraham was the father of faith in Scripture. He is the archetype for all those who will come to faith through Jesus Christ. But he is also an example in another way; he was flawed. God didn't choose him because he was righteous, but because he believed God. And we are not chosen because we are righteous, but because of faith.
There are hundreds of so-called "Christian" denominations across the world today. And there are major branches off of the original followers of Jesus Christ. We have Orthodox, Catholic, Protestant, and Charismatic "Christianity." So how can a person know where to find the truth? Well, as I said to someone just recently, "There are two huge heresies that should cause you to run from any church. One is if they falsely teach who God is. God is Creator, eternal, Spiritual, and Triune in nature. He was never a man.
And the second teaching that should make you run from any church, is if they teach that you have to "be a good person" to be saved. Scripture teaches that Salvation is a gift from God, through Jesus, given to us because of His love, and in response to our belief.
We don't get it by being "good" or following certain rituals. We don't keep it by being "good." We don't lose it by sinning. We don't earn it. We don't buy our way into heaven.
If your church teaches any of that...run...to a church that teaches the gospel.
That's Paul's message to the Galatians.
"And God remembered Noah" That's how chapter 8 of Genesis begins. It is the point of light peeking through the clouds of a year-long flood. We may think that God forgot us, but He always extends grace to those who call on Him.
The world was corrupt and full of violence. No, this is not from today's headlines. This is a description of the world before God decided to destroy it with a universal flood.
And we need to be aware that God has warned of another judgment coming. And we better be sure that we have a ticket to the Ark.
Is it harder to stand for your faith in front of a crowd, or in front of a close friend? Today's sermon is about the Apostle Paul being faithful to his Lord, not only in front of large gatherings, before hostile crowds, but also before his peers.
And we need an example like Paul today. Our temptation is to slip away from the faith and the Church, and to follow the world.
The World before Noah was self-absorbed, obsessed with beauty, and violent. They had no regard for God or godliness. Does that sound familiar? It should because our world is the same. Noah's world was headed for the judgment of the worldwide flood. And if our world is the same as Noah's, can we expect anything less than worldwide judgment?
When did man first respond with violence against his fellow man? It was at the very start of history. The first sons of the first man and woman, are known as the first murderer and victim. And that is exactly what happens when men and women choose disobedience to God; not only will they lose their love of God, but their love of each other as well.
During the ups and downs of life, it's easy to cast aside some things that you once considered important; like your faith. But the apostle Paul gives us great example of remaining faithful regardless of hardship and dissension.
We have been bombarded with bad news for two months; Death statistics. Dumb people. Government overreach. Shutdowns. Unemployment. Business bankruptcy. Who has symptoms of the Coronavirus, and what do they look like.
I don't know about you, but I'm ready for some Good News.
Is there such a thing as a curse? Could I be suffering under a curse? Has God cursed this earth and humanity? Join our study in Genesis 3 to find the answer.
The crown of God's creation was a man and a woman. He created them to be like Him, and He provided for their every need. That's why we can believe that God loves us, and wants the best for us, because He's been caring for us from the start of His creation.
How did we get here? Were we created, or did we evolve over millions of years? We are starting a new series in the Bible book of Genesis. And this book describes the beginnings of everything from the earth to nations to languages. And it gives us the answers to some more important questions; Why am I here? Is there a God, and can I know Him? Take a listen.
This is my first attempt at Audacity music recording. I sang this song with 3 of my best friends, me, myself, and I. Enjoy! But don't criticize to harshly.
As we approach the hopeful end to the Covid lockdown, I have to ask, "How has your faith fared?" "Has it flourished or floundered during this crisis?" "What are the implications for the future of the Church and its relationship to the world?" And probably most importantly, "What should our attitude be going forward?"
This is a Biblical look at the Christians response to the events surrounding Covid-19.
After Passion week was over, the Bible says that Jesus personally appeared to His disciples, and others, over a span of 40 days. This is the account of those appearances.
My father passed away in 2018, but he left behind a legacy of a life dedicated to the study and preaching of the Word of God. This is a sermon He preached on "Seeking those Things that are Above." I hope it inspires you as it has me.
No frills, this is a simple harmony of the Resurrection accounts. Today is about your relationship to the Risen Christ! Can you say, "He lives within my heart?"
We've come to some very meaningful and familiar passages of Scripture in Passion week. We will be looking at Jesus' Last Supper. If you want to add some meaning to your day today, consider celebrating the Lord's table while you listen. I will make note in the podcast when that would occur.
Attention;
If you haven't been able to listen to any of the previous podcasts about Passion week, listen to this one!I do a lot of talking in the previous podcasts, but in this one I simply arranged the events in the gospel accounts of the crucifixion according to their order. I added a few words to help the flow, but for the most part, this is just straight Bible!I found it quite powerful even as I read it. Don't pass through this Easter season without remembering the Crucifixion and Resurrection!
I had to divide Thursday into two podcasts. The first is longer, and about the Upper Room. The second takes you to the Garden of Gethsemene and is shorter. We are moving to a part of the narrative where I only have time to read the account and briefly comment.
On Wednesday of Passion week, arrangements are being made for Jesus' betrayal. But unbeknownst to the conspirators, Jesus is in still in control.
Tuesday was a full day in Passion week. The second half of the day takes in Jesus entire discourse about His second coming.
Jesus final week continues with verbal sparring between Himself and His opponents. Everyone has to make a choice about who they believe.
On Monday of Passion week, Jesus curses the fig tree, cleanses the temple, welcomes some Greeks to salvation, and teaches the people.
On the night before Palm Sunday, Jesus arrived in Bethany, a town two miles from Jerusalem. He was invited to supper at the home of his friends Lazarus, Martha, and Mary. He had raised Lazarus from the dead just a few days prior to this.
And Mary does something in love, appreciation, and grief, that is still talked about in the Easter season today.
This is that story...
On Sunday morning of Passion week, Jesus climbed on to a donkey, and rode it the two miles from Bethphage to Jerusalem. And as he went, thousands upon thousands of pilgrims, who had come for the Passover feast in Jerusalem, began praising Him, and hailing Him as their Messiah. They waved palm branches, and laid their cloaks in His path in homage to Him.
And one week later, they would crucify Him. This is that story.
If you strip away all the entertainment, sports, job and school priorities of you life, what's left? Do you have a purpose beyond seeking your own pleasure? Paul the apostle is forced to defend himself in this portion of the epistle to the Galatians, and in so doing, reveals his purpose in living; to live is Christ.
In order to defend the gospel of "grace through faith" without works, Paul has to defend his authority as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Come along as we uncover the main characters in the fight for the true faith.
How do make myself right with God? Do I need to attend the right church regularly, get baptized, take communion? Do I need to follow all of the 10 commandments, and the strict calendar and dietary laws of the Old Testament?
If you typed the question, "How do Christians believe you have to do to be saved from Hell," into your internet search engine, you would find all of those answers, and many more.
This is the question that divided the Protestants from the Catholics. And today it divides many who call themselves "Christian."
But if we look at Scripture, the answer is very plain. In fact, the Apostle Paul wrote a letter to a group of churches in Galatia, that answers that question emphatically. His answer is that "by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." Ephesians 2:8-9
We are saved entirely because of God's favor toward us. We didn't and can't earn our salvation. "Nothing to the cross I bring, only to the cross I cling."
Join us on this journey through Paul's fight for the gospel of grace.
This is our first episode. Because of the events surrounding the Corona Virus, I needed to address questions and concerns for our church. The podcast is directed to our members. It is designed to be informative and encouraging.